Santa Rita Jail inmate is found dead; man’s cellmate is under investigation

Sheriff’s and DA’s offices are treating case as a homicide

DUBLIN >> An inmate’s death at Santa Rita Jail on Monday morning is being investigated as a possible homicide and his cellmate is being investigated as a possible suspect, authorities said.

Neither man’ s name has been released.

Alameda County Sheriff’s Sgt. Ray Kelly said that just after midnight Sunday deputies making routine checks in the jail’s Behavioral Health Unit saw the inmate lying on the floor of a locked cell with his cellmate standing over him.

Deputies suspected an assault of some kind had occurred, entered the cell and found the inmate was unresponsive, Kelly said.

The jail’s nursing staff and Alameda County firefighters responded and the man was pronounced dead about 45 minutes later.

Kelly said an autopsy will be perfomed; until then, his death is being investigated as a possible homicide.

The cellmate under suspicion was moved to another cell.

Authorities said the man who died had been at the jail since September and was being held on robbery and burglary charges.

His cellmate has been at the jail since October on firearms and other weapons charges.

The death is being investigated by the sheriff’s homicide unit and the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office.

The last homicide at the jail was last year. One male inmate attacked another inmate in the booking office in May 2020 and the victim died from his injuries in June, authorities said.

The suspected killer, who is being held without bail, has pleaded not guilty to a murder charge and faces a court hearing Dec. 2.